FIFA bans Nigerian coach for 2 years over match-fixing

FIFA, the world football governing body, has slammed a two-year ban on Remi Amadi, coach of Cofine FC of Uyo, for match-fixing.

Ademola Olajire, director of communications at Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), announced the sanction in a statement released on Tuesday.

On August 16, the federation had imposed a two-year ban on Amadi after the coach admitted before its committee that he attempted to manipulate the result of the match between Cofine FC v. Bussdor FC.

The match was played on March 15 at the University of Calabar Stadium as documented in an audio conversation between Amadi and the NFF committee.

Olajire said the federation thereafter forwarded all relevant documentation relating to the matter to the FIFA disciplinary committee in a letter dated August 25 to extend the sanction to a global effect.

With the ban, the coach is prohibited from holding any role in global football for the next 24 months, starting from October 5.

“The world body’s Disciplinary Committee conveyed this decision to the NFF, and it is a consequence of a similar ban imposed on the coach by the Federation’s Disciplinary Committee at its meeting of Aug. 16,” the statement read.

“This was done through a letter dated Aug. 25, requesting the Committee to extend the sanction to have a worldwide effect, in accordance with Article 66 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”